Wake Up

If Salvador Dali and Andy Warhol had a kid...wait a minute—they did. The "kid" inhabits a world revealed by artist David LaChapelle. Larger than life, sensual, quirky, colorful and waving an in-your-face "love me!" attitude, his photographs don't just celebrate life, they create it—a vibrant, palpable fourth dimension of urban caricature and impropriety rendered sublime by his compassion, humor and bon vivant outlook. (Enter LaChapelleland at davidlachapelle.com) The North Carolina boy has been "shooting life" since high school, but a chance meeting with Warhol in New York in the '70s led him into commercial and fashion work, where his talent has developed into the unique LaChapelle vision now renowned the world over. Branching into music video direction in 1994 led to completion in 2005 of his acclaimed documentary film Rize, toasting the dance artists of South Los Angeles. The artist seems compelled to bring other people's "hidden" talent to the screen and gallery where it can be applauded. Photographic installations have excited fans from Moscow to Paris and Berlin to Dallas' Goss Gallery back in 2005. He returns Monday through April 11 with Awakening, his first collection without fashion or commercial ties but a rather personal "world under water" vision inspired by Michelangelo's "Deluge" in the Sistine Chapel. Call 214-696-0555 or visit gossgallery.com.
March 19-April 11